So now the open question is whether Palm will provide a handset worthy of the statement.

And to take us back on track, I'm really looking forward to webOS 2.0 on my Pre! Unlike the changes in iOS 4 that made it incompatible with the original iPhone and partially incompatible with the iPhone 3G, I haven't seen or heard about anything in the new version that would tax my processor substantially more than webOS 1.4.5.

I think that the next device--i.e., the one on Palm's roadmap and that better have been set mostly in stone before the acquisition, or it won't happen this year--may not be the most exciting. I think it'll be a real step up, and will be generally competitive, but not the killer device we're all hoping for. I think that HP's influence on that device will be more apparent in much better build quality--they have the expertise and influence to make sure of it.

Then, I think we'll get the really cool--and industry-leading--stuff in 2011 when HP has a chance to exert some of that Voodoo magic. I think the tablet and the first fully HP-designed smartphone will be extraordinary, and will really knock our socks off. By this time next year, I don't think this forum will be so caught up in complaining about Palm hardware.

And from what I understand, webOS 2.0 will be implementing some technologies (e.g., replacing Java with Javascript services) that should make it perform better on current devices than 1.4.5. At worst, those performance improvements should (hopefully) balance out against all of the features that are being added.

Now, if they manage to build in Mojo Messaging and GPU-accelerated CSS transforms, then we could see significant improvements in both apparent performance and battery life. But I'm not really holding my breath for either of those in 2010. Rather, I'm guessing we'll see those in webOS 2.5 or so that's released in March along with the tablet and maybe a true next generation of smartphones.

Yes, agreed. In fact I especially agree with your second paragraph--it was most definitely a jab at HP's competitors, so in that light, I have to admit that it wasn't ridiculous.

So now the open question is whether Palm will provide a handset worthy of the statement.

And to take us back on track, I'm really looking forward to webOS 2.0 on my Pre! Unlike the changes in iOS 4 that made it incompatible with the original iPhone and partially incompatible with the iPhone 3G, I haven't seen or heard about anything in the new version that would tax my processor substantially more than webOS 1.4.5.

You're comparing a 1.5 year old device to a 3 year old device. What's to say when/if WebOS 3.0 hits that it won't be compatible with the current generation Pre's?

You're comparing a 1.5 year old device to a 3 year old device. What's to say when/if WebOS 3.0 hits that it won't be compatible with the current generation Pre's?

The comparison had nothing to do with device age. It was a comparison between the functionality differences brought by iOS 4 and webOS 2.0 with respect to their predecessors. iOS 4 added a form of multitasking, and it was more demanding on the hardware. webOS 2.0 isn't adding multitasking since we already have it, and there are multiple efficiency improvements.

My point was to say that I'm quite confident we'll see webOS 2.0 on the Pre. But you're quite right, there's nothing to say that the same will be true of webOS 3.0. I hope I won't care at that point (not planning on being two hardware generations behind).

The comparison had nothing to do with device age. It was a comparison between the functionality differences brought by iOS 4 and webOS 2.0 with respect to their predecessors. iOS 4 added a form of multitasking, and it was more demanding on the hardware. webOS 2.0 isn't adding multitasking since we already have it, and there are multiple efficiency improvements.

My point was to say that I'm quite confident we'll see webOS 2.0 on the Pre. But you're quite right, there's nothing to say that the same will be true of webOS 3.0. I hope I won't care at that point (not planning on being two hardware generations behind).

SO it's fair to say that new OS updates should support 1 or two generations of older hardware. Sounds good to me. Hopefully WebOS will start refreshing its hardware more often than every couple of years.

I think that the next device--i.e., the one on Palm's roadmap and that better have been set mostly in stone before the acquisition, or it won't happen this year--may not be the most exciting. I think it'll be a real step up, and will be generally competitive, but not the killer device we're all hoping for. I think that HP's influence on that device will be more apparent in much better build quality--they have the expertise and influence to make sure of it.

Then, I think we'll get the really cool--and industry-leading--stuff in 2011 when HP has a chance to exert some of that Voodoo magic. I think the tablet and the first fully HP-designed smartphone will be extraordinary, and will really knock our socks off. By this time next year, I don't think this forum will be so caught up in complaining about Palm hardware.

And from what I understand, webOS 2.0 will be implementing some technologies (e.g., replacing Java with Javascript services) that should make it perform better on current devices than 1.4.5. At worst, those performance improvements should (hopefully) balance out against all of the features that are being added.

Now, if they manage to build in Mojo Messaging and GPU-accelerated CSS transforms, then we could see significant improvements in both apparent performance and battery life. But I'm not really holding my breath for either of those in 2010. Rather, I'm guessing we'll see those in webOS 2.5 or so that's released in March along with the tablet and maybe a true next generation of smartphones.

I'd love to be surprised otherwise, though.

Ooof, a pessimistic view! While I agree that anything potentially coming from Palm this year would have to have been in the pipeline prior to the acquisition, I do think HP would have exerted some influence at a key point in the process: money. Let's assume that the design was completed and a small number of prototypes produced for early initial testing prior to the acquisition. It costs a lot of money to go back and fix the inevitable problems that are found at this point in the process. Palm before HP would have probably done the minimum. Palm after HP would have been able to afford to do more, ie to fix more problems with the design or more manufacturing issues. If the process were not to the prototype point yet, there would have been even more opportunity to make decisions that would cost more.

So while I agree that we probably aren't going to see something that looks like it came from Voodoo, I do think that HP's involvement will bring us a better piece of hardware.

SO it's fair to say that new OS updates should support 1 or two generations of older hardware. Sounds good to me. Hopefully WebOS will start refreshing its hardware more often than every couple of years.

Yeah, I think that from a consumer perspective, expecting hardware to be fully supported with the latest software through 2-3 years is reasonable. I hope Palm increases its hardware refresh pace too--I think that's a money thing and being under HP should help a lot.

Yeah, I think that from a consumer perspective, expecting hardware to be fully supported with the latest software through 2-3 years is reasonable. I hope Palm increases its hardware refresh pace too--I think that's a money thing and being under HP should help a lot.

I agree, totally.

Late next year, when they come out with WebOS 3.0, I am ready for them to leave the Pre in the dust. Don't get me wrong, I love my Pre like a home cooked meal, but a year from now, give me something that only cutting edge hardware can deliver.

And I'm very curious to see what WebOS can do in other form factors.

My wife uses a computer to get email, play games, surf and accounting software. You don't need windows to do that. I'm very curious about the long term vision HP has for WebOS. And And as long as the new head of HP (whoever that may be) is ready to give WebOS what it needs, then we will find out, eventually....